The present invention is directed to devices and methods for installing molding.
As popularity of do-it-yourself home improvement grows, so does a need for providing simple tools by which the do-it-yourselfer can accomplish tasks that have taken skilled craftsmen years of training and practice to master.
Installation of molding, particularly that molding commonly referred to as crown molding, can be a difficult and time-consuming task. Such molding is typically installed at the junction of perpendicularly-disposed surfaces, such as wallboard sheets, which are arranged in mutually-abutting relation. A typical installation of such molding is at the junction of a wall to a ceiling.
As shown for instance in FIG. 1, contacting surfaces 40 on a piece of molding 30, (the surfaces that should fit flush with the wall 34 and ceiling 32 surfaces, for proper installation), are typically very small surfaces, and it is difficult to ascertain when these contacting surfaces are flat against their respective wall and ceiling surface.
Further, another difficulty encountered by the installer relates to the inefficiency of the human eye to distinguish between slightly varying angles. For instance, the human eye is typically not capable of distinguishing between a 45 degree angle and a 38 degree angle. When the molding is not installed at the proper angle, gaps will be formed, (see FIG. 1), and must be caulked or sealed to attempt to compensate for the improper installation and the resulting unappealing look.
It is difficult to install the crown molding at the correct angle such that there is no overlap or gaps between the molding edges and the surfaces to which it is attached. Further, such moldings are difficult to install because the task is usually performed over the head of the installer, making it difficult both physically and visually (to achieve the proper angle of installation).
Further, it is difficult for a person working alone to install crown molding since it is not uncommon for the piece of molding to be as much as 10 feet in length. Typically, one installer holds an end of the molding, while another holds the opposite end, as the molding is both properly positioned and attached to the perpendicular surfaces by that individual. What is needed is a device designed to facilitate one-person installation.
The present invention avoids these and other difficulties by providing devices and methods for easily positioning, properly orienting and installing a molding.
Briefly described, in one embodiment of the invention, a positioning jig is used for accurately positioning a piece of molding during installation of the molding. The positioning jig includes a body having first and second reference surfaces that are substantially perpendicular to each other. The body also includes a molding-cradling recess for cradling and positioning the molding in a predetermined orientation relative to the first and second reference surfaces.
Optionally, the body includes a handle, and the body is panel-shaped. Also, the molding-cradling recess can be formed to match the cross-sectional profile, (or a part thereof), of the molding. Further, the recess can be provided with a resilient face. Yet another embodiment includes that the jig can include a second body, spaced from the first, the bodies ganged together.
Stated another way, the present invention is a jig adapted for positioning, properly orienting and installing a molding. More particularly, the jig includes at least one body having a positioning portion configured to receive a molding. The body also includes a first positioning margin and a second positioning margin each emanating from the positioning portion, the positioning margins being configured so as to be substantially perpendicular to each other. The jig facilitates placement of the molding at a proper installation angle at a juncture of two surfaces, such as a ceiling and wall. It is contemplated that use of multiple bodies to form the positioning jig will facilitate one-person installation.
The positioning jig can conveniently include a handle attached to the body or formed integrally with the body.
The positioning portion of the jig can further be configured to have a contoured shape corresponding to a profile of the molding and is typically recessed to receive the molding.
The positioning jig can also include a deformable portion configured to receive multiple molding profiles. As such, the deformable portion can be formed from an impressionable material, such that the jig will accommodate profiles of different moldings.
In use, the molding is placed in the molding-cradling recess or positioning portion, and the body is pushed into the ceiling-to-wall juncture (corner) until the perpendicular reference surfaces or positioning margins are pushed against the ceiling and the adjacent wall. With the jig thus xe2x80x9cseatedxe2x80x9d, the position and angular orientation of the molding relative to the ceiling and the wall are consistently fixed. This makes it easy and time-efficient to correctly position the molding for accurate installation.
That the invention improves over the prior art and accomplishes the advantages described above will become apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and the appended drawings and claims.